Bears overreactions: Re-signing D-Mo key to critical offseason?

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In taking the Philadelphia Eagles to the wire, the Bears again showed that quarterback Justin Fields gives them a chance to hang with any team.

But the 25-20 loss in Week 15 also illustrated the talent gap between the Bears and the NFL's best team.

The Bears have now lost seven straight ahead of their Week 16 clash with the Buffalo Bills at Soldier Field. While the Bears' playoff dreams have long been dead, these final three games still are essential for the growth of a team that's about to enter a critical offseason.

Let's gauge the temperature around the 3-11 Bears as they prepare to face the Bills in frigid weather Saturday:

Overreaction? No.

Velus Jones Jr. has had a tough rookie season. A training camp hamstring injury put him behind, and he has made several critical mistakes on special teams and offense.

Jones got ample opportunity against the Eagles. He logged 40 offensive snaps with Chase Claypool, Darnell Mooney, N'Keal Harry, and Equanimeous St. Brown all out. But he made little impact, and his third-quarter fumble added to his list of rookie-season errors.

The Bears are trying to toe the line between encouraging and challenging with Jones. Wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert continues to say Jones needs to show more consistency in practice to earn the staff's trust and get those chances on Sundays.

Jones is a third-round pick, so I don't think his roster spot for 2023 is in jeopardy. But he does need to make some positive plays during the final three weeks to get things moving in the right direction.

The Bears drafted him to be a playmaker, and he has made little impact this season.

Overreaction? Yes. 

Are the Bears moving in the right direction? Absolutely. Anytime you're undergoing a rebuild with a young franchise quarterback already in place, you're in a good spot.

But general manager Ryan Poles has a lot of work to do this offseason to take the Bears from a three- or four-win team to firing contenders. Any talk of Super Bowl contention in 2023 is "pie in the sky" stuff.

The Bears will have over $100 million in salary cap space to work with this offseason. They'll also have a top-four pick to use either as a trade piece or to add a blue-chip defensive talent in the draft.

But the amount of moves Poles would have to pull off and hit on to make the Bears a 2023 Super Bowl contender is astronomically high.

The Bears need at least three new offensive linemen, a legit three-technique, two edge rushers, and a No. 1 wide receiver. That's just the start.

If Poles finds a way to check all those boxes this offseason, then perhaps we can talk 2023 Super Bowl contender. But the Bears will undoubtedly be better in 2023. Well, they should be.

Overreaction? No, but what's the price?

David Montgomery is everything the Bears want in a running back and a locker room leader. He personifies the "motor and mean" head coach Matt Eberflus is looking for in his players.

But running back isn't a premium position. The Bears already have Khalil Herbert, and the 2023 draft class is stacked at running back.

The 2023 free agent class is also loaded at the running back position. That could drive down the market for Montgomery.

In a vacuum, the Bears should want to bring back Montgomery. But if the asking price goes above $9 million AAV, it would be tough to stomach. The Bears have a lot of needs elsewhere, and Herbert is an excellent one-cut-and-go back for the wide-zone scheme.

If Montgomery walks, the Bears could look to add a guy like Texas A&M's Devon Achane, Texas' Roschon Johnson, or Auburn's Tank Bigsby to be RB2 behind Herbert.

Overreaction? Yes. 

I added this Friday after Green Bay Packers offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins and Cleveland Browns tackle Jack Conklin agreed to extensions, further diluting the free-agent offensive line class.

There's no doubt that building through the draft is important. That's what Poles wants to do. But the Bears will also need to add veteran talent in free agency. The best rebuild requires a blend of draft hits and savvy free-agent moves.

RELATED: Miller's praise of Fields shows where Bears' QB is headed

Several good offensive linemen have hit the open market in recent seasons. Given the salary cap, good teams can't keep everyone. Terron Armstead, Laken Tomlinson, Joe Thuney, Brandon Scherff, and Alex Cappa all went to market. Orlando Brown Jr. turned down an extension last offseason, planning to bet on himself and test the free-agent waters.

The Bears should prioritize building through the draft and plan to do so. But to build a winning roster, the Bears must use every avenue at their disposal. They can't ignore the chance to add proven talent in free agency. That's a necessity for this team.

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